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What is the Whyte System?

The Whyte system is a standardized system of nomenclature used when referring to traditional rod locomotives.

It generally reads left to right starting with the first set of wheels and ending with the last. It also gives a name to commonly found wheel arrangemants. Please note that these may be referred to differently according to the railroad that you may be familiar with or interested in. For example what is commonly a Santa Fe Type, was referred to as a "Deck" by Southern Pacific Enginemen.

Here is a list of Common wheel arrangements under the Whyte System.

4-4-0 American Standard oo OO
4-6-0 Ten Wheeler oo OOO
4-8-0 Mastadon oo OOOO
4-8-2 Mountain oo OOOO o
4-4-2 Atlantic oo OO o
2-6-0 Mogul o OOO
2-8-0 Consolidation o OOOO
2-10-0 Decapod o OOOOO
2-4-2 Columbia o OO o
2-6-2 Prarie o OOO o
2-8-2 Mikado o OOOO o
2-10-2 Santa Fe o OOOOO o
4-6-2 Pacific oo OOO o
4-6-4 Hudson oo OOO oo
4-8-4 Northeren oo OOOO oo
The Whyte System also allows for Articulated locomotives which were unnamed, but a few examples of which gained a measure of fame in the vernacular
2-4-4-2 o OO OO o
2-6-6-2 o OOO OOO o
2-6-6-4 o OOO OOO oo
2-8-8-2 o OOOO OOOO o
4-6-6-4 Challenger oo OOO OOO oo
4-8-8-4 Big Boy oo OOOO OOOO oo

Bart Salmons
Oct 1, 1998